NO CHALLENGE: Victorian federal Liberal preselections see all incumbents returned unopposed

Nominations for federal Liberal preselections in Victoria closed today without a single incumbent being challenged.

There had been possible speculation of a move – possibly from the shrewd Tory tactician Ian Hanke – against Kevin Andrews in Menzies but…

KERR’S CURSE: Cocaine fuels Gallery try-hard’s paranoid pain

Hiring admitted cocaine and ecstasy addict Christian Kerr was a huge gamble for The Australian. Media insiders and colleagues are beginning to question the decision.

SURRENDER MONKEYS: How Labor’s Left plans to surrender their heartland to the far-left Greens political party

The Labor Left is deeply confused. They want to beat the Greens. But also want to copy their policies. And don’t want to criticise them even if they do secret deals with Liberals and propose to shutter selective schools. If some like backbench no-hoper Martin Foley have their way, the Greens will seize control of the Socialist Left’s heartland. Labor moderate patriots wonder whether to laugh or cry.

JOB HUNT: Mirabella’s quest for a media adviser continues

Liberal spokesman on women’s affairs, country member Sophie Mirabella has had a tough time finding a media adviser who can keep up with her. She’s advertising in Liberal circles and is hoping for an improvement on shamed incumbents Brendan Rowswell, Luke Barnes and Tony Scrinis.

ENDANGERED: Julia Gillard’s life put at risk because of The Age

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s visit to Iraq was meant to be secret to avoid possible terrorist attack. The Age online pre-announced her visit anyway and was keen this morning to stitch-up one reporter for an error that has much more to do with a failure of their systems than his copy.

NEPOTISM AT WORK: Michael Levy finds rapid promotion at taxpayer-fuelled law firm Madgwicks thanks to father Graeme Levy

Nepotism, giving special favours to close family members, is usually something we associate with corruption in the developing world.

Wikipedia explains:

Forms of corruption vary, but include bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement.

Recently,…

IN THE FRAME: Sunbury Leader journalists accused of fabricating photographs and worse

Two local newspaper journalists have been accused of partly fabricating the news they publish.

FIFTH COLUMNIST: Extreme left ALP candidate promotes rival party

A candidate for preselection for a safe Labor seat has been caught promoting a stridently anti-Labor party that is involved with viciously anti-semitic attacks on Israel. Sources say she may also be a secret member of a Geelong branch of the Socialist Alliance party.

AND THE NOMINATIONS ARE: Victorian ALP preselection frolics in painful detail

The deal was looking good between poo-bahs Feeney, Shorten, Conroy, Carr, Thow, Grifffin and Donovan until a whole bunch of nominations from the CFMEU, Lizzie Blandthorn and George Seitz hit the fan. We name names.

THE UNSTOPPABLE GEORGE: No man, no law, no war, no NX, no Premier can stop him

The Victorian ALP preselection nominations have closed and quite a few people are up to some old tricks. One of them, patriot George Seitz, was shafted by National Executive so he has shafted a few of his friends on the way out.